Portable electronic devices having a display are typically capable of changing the orientation in which content/information is presented on the display device. Positional sensors, installed in the portable electronic devices, use one or more methods to identify a position or orientation of the device. Such methods can include motion sensors, gravitational sensors, accelerometers, magnetic field sensors, an imaging sensor, etc. In response to the positioning information obtained by the positional sensors, a display device controller controls an orientation at which information is to be presented on the display/screen. Thus, when a user is holding the portable electronic device in an upright orientation, the display device controller causes the information to be presented in an upright orientation (vertical orientation) on the display/screen. When the user is holding the portable electronic device turned in a horizontal orientation (e.g., about 90° from the vertical position), the display device controller causes the information to be presented in a horizontal orientation (horizontally oriented) on the display/screen.
The figures are not to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.